REU Site: Summer Academy in Sustainable Manufacturing

Wayne State University, Detroit MI

Investigators

Abstract

This Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Site at Wayne State University (WSU) focuses on offering unique summer research experiences in the challenging field of sustainable manufacturing to local and national undergraduate students, especially underrepresented minorities, from two and four-year institutions. This REU Site resides in the Southeastern Michigan Manufacturing Community, which has recently been selected by the Obama Administration as one of the first 12 manufacturing communities under the national Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership (IMCP) inititative. The objective of this program is to introduce undergraduate students to the forefront of sustainable manufacturing research and to provide students with the skills and pathways to pursue four-year and graduate programs so they can become knowledgeable and capable engineers in the manufacturing industry of the future. The program addresses NSF national priority areas of advanced manufacturing and sustainability and is designed to guide students to participate in inter-disciplinary undergraduate research projects under the co-supervision of a group of well-accomplished faculty mentors from WSU Engineering Departments. This breadth in expertise will enable the Site to address challenging issue in advanced manufacturing while providing a deep understanding of the broader impacts of sustainability. The REU program will offer a 10-week intensive summer research and professional development/training experience, for a total of 30 students, over a three year period. Research projects will include: 1) nanocoating and lightweight materials and manufacturing, 2) energy storage materials, batteries, and inversion devices, 3)remanufacturing and sustainability assessment, and 4) chemical-energy-water-nexus. The program will include individual research projects with faculty research mentors, research skill seminars, local manufacturing plant visits, lecture series on the fundamentals of engineering sustainability, discussion sessions, and a research symposium intended to cultivate dialogue skills. These activities will ensure that REU Site students obtain the skills necessary to succeed in future sustainable manufacturing or other STEM academic careers and activities.